The Value of a Fernwood Membership
Our new membership cards came earlier this month to the Fernwood Botanical Gardens! We love, love, love this place! If you haven't been, allow me to tell you: it is amazing! It's a gorgeous Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in Niles, Michigan.
We're big fans of the Cabana. Most of the time when we go the kiddos stop in here and don't want to go anywhere else. They're cute like that. And I totally get that because seriously, I can pretend I'm off on some exotic island when we're in the Cabana. So wonderful.
The flowers, the trails, the train garden, the frogs to find. The water wheel. Everything kids love. And it's for grown ups too :)
When talking to my mom friends it seems like the conversation always seems to come around to things to do with your kids in the Michiana area. I'm always amazed that hardly anyone takes their kids to Fernwood.
Whaaaa???
We love, love, love (I feel like I've said this before...) Fernwood so here I am to say, I'll be writing more about this wonderful place and all of the cool things you can do there. But first let's talk basics...
You need to get yourself a membership.
Do it.
Do it right now. :)
Of course you don't have to have a membership. Admission for adults is $8.00 and children 6 and up are only $3.00. But it would just makes sense for you....allow me to be your tour guide and explain...
For a family of four admission will run you $22.00 if your kids are older than 5. A preferred membership gets you and 5 others in for only $65.00 a year! Go three times and your membership has paid for itself. So it's a really great value to go again and again. If you have a kiddo who is under 6 then you can get a basic membership for only $45.00 and it will let you and two others in.
There is so much to do at Fernwood! I know you will love it as much as we do. And if you want to try before you buy they are having a Family Summer Free Day on Wednesday, August 5th so you can bring your family and hang out there. How amazing is that?
Anyway, as a member we get all kinds of discounts to programs, their giftshop, and other things. But one of our favorite perks is the reciprocal gardens admission program. You can check the list of participating locations out here. There are over 450 places it is honored. It has saved us a bundle and more than pays for a membership!
The first place I tried it was at the Chicago Botanical Gardens which are free but parking is $25!!!! Holy fee to park your car, Batman! But with our Fernwood Membership we received free parking so with a savings of $25 I was sold. :)
Then when we were in Hershey, PA and I was searching for cheap things to do we were able to visit the Hershey Gardens for free! Admission would have been $25.50 for the kids and I to get in but was free with our Fernwood Membership! Score!
If you need more reasons why a Fernwood Membership is super economical, let me give you two more:
In your membership packet (at least every time in mine) has always been a free membership to Better Homes and Gardens and a coupon for something free.
So Nick and I are planning on a date to their cafe and we'll share a free dessert (a $4.00 value).
And you can get a FREE magazine subscription just for being a member! Or if you don't want it there's a box on the very bottom of the card that you can check and they will send you a $6.00 refund.
So let's break it down for you now...
$65.00 Fernwood Membership
-$25.00 Chicago Botanic Gardens Parking I got for free
-$25.50 Hershey Gardens Admission I got for free
-$4.00 free dessert
-$6.00 magazine refund
=$4.50 difference
Such an amazing deal!
And there are so many other ways to save...facility rentals, programs, classes, plant sales, on and on.
So if you are in the Michiana area I hope you'll visit Fernwood and make some memories with your kids there. With the toll road and by-pass it's super easy and quick to get to no matter where you are in the area. And don't forget to get yourself a membership! Perhaps we'll see each other under the trains :)